Chapter 608: Returning to the Pinnacle of Europe
When Bruno passed the ball to Ibrahimović, Mourinho's body was already slightly lifted from his seat, leaning forward. As soon as he saw Ibrahimović go past the goalkeeper and score, Mourinho sprang up from his seat, raising his arms and clenching his fists in celebration.
The Manchester United bench and coaching staff erupted in joy.
On the other side, upon seeing this goal, Zidane swung his arms in frustration, then rubbed his bald head with both hands, covering his face momentarily.
"This goal is fantastic, showcasing Manchester United's strength in counter-attacks. From Kanté's interception to Gündoğan's pass, Gündoğan's pass to Bruno, Bruno's breakthrough and assist to Ibrahimović, the entire sequence was completed with just three passes among four players!" He Wei commented.
"The key to this goal was Bruno's quick breakthrough. No one expected that Bruno would still have such good stamina and speed at this stage of the match, catching Real Madrid completely off guard. Marcelo couldn't keep up with Bruno, and Real Madrid's defense was completely torn apart," Andy Gray remarked.
"Real Madrid conceded another goal, their fourth of the match. Their defense was utterly breached... Sorry, what I meant to say is, where was Real Madrid's defense? Zidane's team seemed defenseless against Manchester United. At the start of the season in the European Super Cup, they conceded four goals; today, their defense was again riddled by Manchester United," commented the Spanish national TV commentator. "No other team has managed to score four goals against Real Madrid this season, not even Barcelona, but Manchester United has done it twice. Their attacking power is indeed extraordinary."
...
The match resumed, and trailing on the scoreboard, Real Madrid tried to launch even more intense attacks. They had no choice as there was very little time left!
However, against Manchester United's strong defense, Real Madrid's offensive efforts were largely ineffective.
On the field, Modric furrowed his brow. He noticed the problem: Manchester United's defensive line and midfield were positioned close to each other, greatly reducing the space Real Madrid could exploit.
Whether it was Real Madrid's team passing and coordination or the individual skills of Asensio, Bale, or Ronaldo, all were restricted and could not be fully utilized.
Particularly in the area just outside Manchester United's penalty box, it seemed like an invisible line was drawn by Manchester United, which Real Madrid found hard to cross.
As Real Madrid's midfield commander, Modric struggled. He could only maneuver around outside that line, trying to find gaps and vulnerabilities in Manchester United's defense.
Kanté came to disrupt Modric, who made two attempts to shake off his opponent but couldn't get rid of Kanté's persistent marking. Modric had no choice but to pass the ball back to Casemiro.
...
During extra time, Mourinho reassigned Manchester United's defensive tasks. Kanté was responsible for marking Modric, while other players like Gündoğan and Rashford were on standby to assist.
As for Bruno, his main task had shifted from marking Ronaldo to keeping an eye on Bale. In Mourinho's view, Modric was Real Madrid's midfield commander, and Bale was the link between Modric and Ronaldo.
Although Bale and Ronaldo's relationship wasn't great, their on-field connection was the most frequent in Real Madrid's lineup. Over the past five years, Bale had assisted Ronaldo 32 times, the highest in the team, even more than Benzema, not to mention Marcelo, Ronaldo's good friend.
The strategy was to limit Modric and cut off the connections between Bale and Ronaldo, or between Modric and Ronaldo directly.
With Benzema off the pitch, Ronaldo was Real Madrid's center forward and would be marked by Manchester United's entire defensive line, with players rotating their coverage. The rest of the team was on high alert, prepared to deal with other Real Madrid attackers.
Manchester United's defensive system was well-defined and executed with great discipline. Consequently, Modric found it difficult to deliver comfortable passes to their intended targets.
Even when the ball was passed, it was hard for Bale, Ronaldo, or others to control it comfortably.
...
Real Madrid's renowned passing game had not disappeared but was confined to passing around outside the penalty area. Many passes were backward or sideways, with few forward passes because they were difficult to execute under Manchester United's tight marking.
Even when a forward pass was made, Asensio, Bale, or Ronaldo couldn't manage a shot, often forced to pass back or getting intercepted.
Thus, despite Real Madrid's persistent attacks in the final minutes, few were genuinely threatening, often resorting to long-range shots to end an attack.
It was a frustrating scenario.
"We can see that Manchester United is using active pressing and relentless running, interceptions, and covering to disrupt Real Madrid's attacks, preventing the fluid offensive plays we usually see from them," He Wei noted.
"This shows Mourinho's tactics have been successful. He has studied Real Madrid thoroughly, figuring out how to defend against Modric, Bale, and Ronaldo. Manchester United has a clear system for this," Zhang Lu added.
"Real Madrid has used up all their substitutions, so Zidane and his players must make adjustments on the field. Zidane needs to find a solution quickly, or they will lose the match!"
...
Until the final whistle blew, Zidane couldn't find an effective adjustment.
The Olympic Stadium in Kyiv fell silent for a moment, then erupted with all sorts of sounds blending together.
"Dear viewers, you and I have just witnessed a miracle! Yes! Manchester United scored in extra time, defeating Real Madrid and lifting the Champions League trophy!!"
"They are the champions! This Premier League giant has won the Champions League again after ten years!!"
"I can hardly believe it..."
Commentators screamed at the top of their lungs, fearing their voices would be drowned out by the cacophony.
In the stands, Manchester United fans jumped from their seats, causing the solid stadium to tremble.
Just before Mazic blew the final whistle, the ball was at Bruno's feet. After kicking it out of play, he began celebrating, running with open arms towards his incoming teammates.
Manchester United's substitutes and coaching staff rushed onto the field, joining in the celebration frenzy.
In the stands, Manchester United fans embraced each other, many in tears.
An elderly fan with white hair shouted at the camera, tears streaming down his face, "This is the power of the Red Devils! This is the power of the Red Devils! We are the champions! We are the champions! Champions!!"
The camera panned away, but his roaring continued.
...
When Bruno kicked the ball out, none of the Real Madrid players could believe it: the mighty Real Madrid had lost to a ten-man Manchester United?
Bruno and his teammates hugged tightly, celebrating their victory. Meanwhile, Real Madrid players stood in shock, with some even shedding tears of sorrow.
The dream of a third consecutive Champions League title was shattered.
"It looks like Zidane's Real Madrid dynasty has come to an end today!" the British commentator said with a hint of sarcasm as he watched the dejected Real Madrid players on the screen.
Zidane was on the pitch, consoling his players.
This loss was a severe blow for him and his team, marking an empty-handed season for the Galacticos.
However, Zidane was not dejected because he knew Real Madrid was still the strongest team on the planet. Manchester United's victory this season indicated their good fortune and strength but didn't guarantee long-term success. Real Madrid, however, could sustain their success.
"We lost the final this year, but we'll come back next year!"
This is the confidence and strength of a Champions League powerhouse.
Zidane patted his players on the shoulders, saying, "Don't lose heart; this is just an accident. We'll come back next year!"
...
Over on the Manchester United side, Mourinho was already surrounded by his players, who lifted him high into the air.
In his two years leading the team, Mourinho had created one miracle after another.
Without him, Manchester United wouldn't be where they are today. Whether it was the club's owner Jassim or Bruno, no one could claim more credit than Mourinho.
Had Jassim not hired Mourinho, the team might have continued to struggle in the Premier League for several more seasons, and they wouldn't have experienced this recent series of glories. Therefore, Mourinho fully deserved this celebration.
In the VIP box, Prince Jassim stood up, raising his arms before hugging those around him.
The Olympic Stadium in Kyiv had become a sea of joy.
At least for Manchester United fans.
In the stands, Manchester United fans cried and cheered, singing songs of victory.
Besides that, they didn't know what else to do.
(END CHAPTER)
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